THE OVERLOOK AT RIVER PLACE COMMUNITY FIREWISE POLICY AND GUIDE

(Approved unanimously by the Board of The Overlook Property Owners' Association (POA) on February 24, 2021.)

The Overlook at River Place Property Owners’ Association Board of Directors (‘POA Board’) and the community at large are committed to ensuring the safety and security of our neighborhood, including The Overlook property owners and residents, their individual properties and the natural

wildland assets of the neighborhood. This commitment specifically includes responsible stewardship of the 20.42 acres of common wildland areas on the southern and eastern borders of The Overlook. As such, The POA Board and property owners and residents join together in developing and maintaining The Overlook at River Place Property Owners’ Community Firewise Policy and Guide (‘Firewise Policy’) for The Overlook which protects our neighborhood and the surrounding community to the extent possible. Note: Under no circumstances does this Firewise Policy supersede any other policies, procedures, restrictions, covenants, bylaws, operating documents, and the like for The Overlook.

Responsibilities of The Overlook POA Board:

· Establish a Firewise Committee comprised of property owners and residents charged by the POA Board to work together in support of implementing the Firewise Policy and other related requirements and identified by the POA Board.

· Work in partnership with the Firewise Committee and all property owners and residents of The Overlook.

· Maintain up-to-date copies of the Firewise Policy.

· Keep property owners and residents informed of the provisions of the Firewise Policy.

· Ensure conformity with the Firewise Policy and all other policies, procedures, restrictions, covenants, bylaws, operating documents, and the like for The Overlook.

· Assume responsibility for all issues related to the implementation and compliance with the Firewise Policy.

Responsibilities of the Firewise Committee:

· Choose a representative of the Firewise Committee who will keep the POA Board up-to-date on Firewise-related issues.

· Provide recommendations to the POA Board and property owners and residents that promote the health and safety of property owners and residents and the mitigation of potential wildfire risks to property owners and residents; property owners' and residents’ individual properties; and The Overlook POA Common Wildland property.

· Work in partnership with the POA Board to keep property owners and residents informed of any changes or updates to the Firewise Policy.

· Ensure that, at a minimum, one Overlook Firewise Committee representative is certified as a Home Ignition Zone Assessor and remains current in such training on an annual basis. This does not limit other members of the Firewise Committee from becoming certified as a Home Ignition Zone Assessor.

· Encourage all property owners and residents to coordinate with the Firewise Committee to complete an annual Firewise Home Ignition Zone Assessment ("HIZ Assessment") of the property and exterior of their homes by a certified Firewise Committee member and/or other available resource experts.

· Encourage all property owners and residents to comply with the wildfire risk mitigation recommendations identified by the Firewise HIZ Assessor as soon as possible after the completion of the assessment.

· Conduct an annual Community Wildfire Risk Assessment to identify any native fire hazards that may have developed and to assure that no property owner/resident-created fire hazards exist.

Responsibilities of The Overlook Property Owners, Residents and Their Contractors and Guests:

· Comply with the provisions of the Firewise Policy and Guide.

· Comply with any special directions issued by the POA Board and/or the Firewise Committee.

· Comply with all POA and other policies, procedures, restrictions, covenants, bylaws, operating documents, and the like for The Overlook as well as following:

-Under no circumstances erect any structures in POA common wildland property (e.g. sheds, gym sets, recreational areas, gardens, fire pits, etc.).

-Under no circumstances perform any activities in POA common wildland property (e.g. planting plants/trees/shrubbery/grasses, etc., or cutting/trimming/removing plants/trees/shrubbery/grasses, etc.), without first notifying the POA Board in writing (e.g. letter or email). Notification must include a formal written workplan and schematic diagram(s) of the intended work ('Work Plan'). Written authorization must be received from the POA Board prior to any work being performed in the POA Common Wildland property.

- Under no circumstances conduct wildfire mitigation and fuel reduction activities between March 1 and August 31, the breeding period of the golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo. These endangered species depend on juniper bark for nest materials and juniper density for avoiding predators. (Note: Exceptions to this requirement may be authorized by the POA Board in the event of a designated drought period or when a designated fire hazard exists).

- Under no circumstances cut on or trim oak trees between February 1 and June 30, when the danger of spreading oak wilt is greatest.

· Prior to planting/trimming/removing trees, shrubbery or grasses, beyond customary/usual day-to-day lawn mowing, trimming of shrubbery, etc. on private property, property owners and residents are encouraged to discuss their plans with the Firewise Committee which in turn will confer with the POA Board, in an effort to inform property owners and residents of potential wildfire risks and promote consistent application of wildfire risk mitigation strategies and other policies, procedures, restrictions, covenants, bylaws, operating documents, and the like for The Overlook.

· Property owners and residents have the legal right to trim tree branches on their properties and in the air space above their properties including up to their property line but may not go onto a neighbor's property or harm the health of a tree or other vegetation on the neighbor’s property. For example, property owners and residents have the legal right to trim branches of a tree or other vegetation if they hang over their property line but if the trimming seriously injures the tree or other vegetation, the property owner or resident will be liable for any damage done. Similarly, if a property owner or resident uses a chemical in his or her yard to destroy unwanted roots, and the chemical seeps onto a neighbor’s property and kills a tree or other vegetation, the property owner or resident can be liable.

General Firewise USA Recommendations

In addition to any specific advice from the POA Board and the Firewise Committee, property owners and residents are strongly encouraged to comply with the following Firewise USA recommendations and considerations. Decades of research and post-fire studies have shown that both the house and the landscape adjacent to it play a critical role in the structure surviving a wildfire. Homes ignite due to the condition of the home and the landscape surrounding it. To better understand what property owners and residents can do to reduce the likelihood or severity of structure and property damage due to wildfire, Firewise USA has identified three (3) distinct zones (‘Home Ignition Zones’) that surround the home and specific recommendations and considerations property owners and residents can follow to reduce their individual wildfire risk and the wildfire risk to The Overlook neighborhood.

Immediate Zone

The Immediate Zone includes both the home and the area from 0 to 5 feet out from the furthest attached exterior point of the home. Firewise USA recommendations for the Immediate Zone include:

o Storage Containers: Remove all flammable items stored outdoors;

o Decks and Elevated Porches: Remove lattice under or around crawl spaces and decks and place 1/8” metal mesh screening between low-profile decks and the surface of the ground, to block embers from collecting underneath. Never store flammable materials underneath elevated decks/porches or between deck board joists. When wildfires are approaching, remove all potted plants and all combustible cushions, mats, etc.;

o Fencing: Use non-flammable fencing material (metal or masonry) when attaching directly to the home or outbuilding. At a minimum ensure there is at least 5 feet of non-combustible material where it attaches to the home or outbuilding. Do not add vines or other types of vegetation to fencing material;

o Eaves and Soffits: Reduce the size and number of embers that can pass through vents in eaves, siding and roofs, by covering them with a 1/8” wire mesh screening. Inspect soffits and vents, including dryer vents often;

o Gutters: Metal roof gutters do not ignite, only the vegetation debris material that accumulates in them – that’s why keeping them clean is important;

o Roof Maintenance: Remove all tree limbs within 10 feet from a chimney, siding or that overhang the roof. Keep roofs, including chimneys, and roof-to-wall intersections clean of vegetation debris. Embers from a fireplace can exit the chimney and could ignite a wildfire; to prevent this install a spark arrestor. When wildfires are approaching, close the damper, fireplace screens and glass doors;

o Foundation: All foundation vents, including weep holes should have 1/8” corrosion resistant metal screening;

o Garages: Weather seal the perimeter of garage doors to help keep embers out. Be sure the door is tight fitting so embers can’t slide under the door or in from the sides. Place caulking in cracks and crevices of the garage door frame including where the door frame meets the ground;

o Skylights/Screening: Remove debris next to and on skylights and screening over sunrooms, courtyards and decks. Glass skylights are a safer option than plastic or fiberglass. Metal screening over sunrooms, courtyards and decks is a safer option than combustible screening;

o Windows/Sliding Glass Doors: Choose double pane tempered glass. Consider fireproof shutters to protect large windows and glass doors from radiant heat;

o Vents: Consider purchasing closure devices for foundation and gable end vents and installing a louver-type dryer vent that stays closed unless the dryer is running. Clean debris from vents and install 1/8” metal mesh screening. For turbine roof vents, access the attic and inspect where the vent attaches to the roof and attach 1/8” screening to the roof sheathing. Dormer-face vents should be replaced with a low-profile vent. Ridge vents should be rated for high wind/rain exposure;

o Windows: Multi-paned tempered glass can help reduce the risk of fracture or collapsing in a wildfire. All shrubbery should be kept trimmed below and a minimum of two (2) feet away from all windows and glass doors. All combustible garden bed material adjacent to the home (e.g. wood-chip mulch) should be replaced with non-combustible material (e.g. river rock, etc.);

o Exterior Courtyards, Corners/Shrubbery: Care should be taken to ensure that vegetation debris does not accumulate in exterior courtyards, corners or under shrubbery, benches, etc. Empty containers such as plant containers should be stored upside down; and

o Entrance Ways: All combustible mats, benches, etc. should be replaced with non-combustible items. At a minimum, when wildfires are approaching, remove all combustible items including potted plants.

Intermediate Zone

The Intermediate Zone includes 5 to 30 feet from the furthest exterior point of the home. In all cases, any wildfire mitigation and fuel reduction activities in the intermediate zone, beyond a property owner’s or resident’s property line must be preauthorized by the POA Board and the Firewise Committee. Firewise USA recommendations for the Intermediate Zone include:

o Landscaping/Hardscaping:

· Clear vegetation adjacent to storage sheds or other outbuildings or combustible items such as picnic tables, benches etc.;

· Create fuel breaks with driveways, walkways/paths, patios and decks;

· Keep lawns mowed and shrubbery and native grasses trimmed;

· Remove ladder fuels (vegetation under trees) so a surface fire cannot reach the crowns of trees. Prune trees up between 6 to 10 feet from the ground; for shorter trees trim up to 1/3 of the overall tree height;

· Crowns of trees may touch but should not overlap;

· Trees and shrubbery should be limited to small clusters of a few each to break up the continuity of the vegetation across the landscape; and

· Water plants, trees and lawns to keep them from becoming too dry. Comply with local watering restrictions.

Extended Zone

The Extended Zone extends 30 to 100 feet out from the furthest attached exterior point of the home. Keep in mind that your property line may end prior to 100 feet. In these instances, working collaboratively with your neighbor is very important in helping protect adjoining properties. In all cases, any wildfire mitigation and fuel reduction activities in the extended zone, beyond a property owner’s or resident’s property line must be preauthorized by the POA Board and the Firewise Committee. Firewise USA recommendations for the Extended Zone include:

o Landscaping:

· Remove dead plant and tree material and dispose of accumulations of ground litter/debris;

· Keep shrubbery and native grasses trimmed;

· Trim vegetation adjacent to storage sheds or other outbuildings and under combustible items such as picnic tables, benches etc.;

· Crowns of trees may touch but should not overlap; and

· Trees and shrubbery should be limited to small clusters of a few each to break up the continuity of the vegetation across the landscape. Open spaces in these areas provide protection from wildfires.

Additional Firewise USA Considerations

o Add color and interest with high moisture content plants in containers that could be easily moved to the intermediate zone when wildfires are approaching;

o The home address should be clearly visible from the road;

o Closable foundation and gable end vents should be shut when threatened by a wildfire and reopened after the danger passes;

o Close and protect home openings, including attic and basement doors and vents, windows, garage and pet doors to prevent embers from gaining access to the home;

o Connect garden hoses, fill pools, hot tubs, garbage cans or other large containers with water and place ladders outdoors when wildfires are approaching. Firefighters have been known to use hoses, ladders and water sources to extinguish spot fires;

o Consider installing non-flammable shutters similar to hurricane shutters;

o Consider using non-combustible deck boards (metal and fiber cement), or a solid light weight concrete;

o Incorporate a combination of deciduous and hardwood trees;

o Install insulated metal garage doors;

o Install weather-stripping around garage doors to prevent ember intrusions;

o Move vehicles into a non-combustible area (gravel or concrete) and roll up all windows;

o When wildfire threat is high, move patio/deck furniture, cushions, door mats and potted plants indoors, or as far away from the home, shed, and garage as possible;

o Place swing/playsets in the extended zone;

o Use rubber doormats instead of those manufactured with natural fiber materials; and

o When making future furniture purchases, select fire resistant options.

Source: The Overlook at River Place Property Owners' Association Board in collaboration with Mr. Randall Jamieson, Firewise Safety Consultant and River Place Resident.